Sports Integration Project 2023

The Sports Integration Project stands out as one of the foremost initiatives in children’s sports in Romania. It was launched in March 2023 following a three-month trial period evaluating various sports activities and assessing children’s reactions. The idea emerged in response to the challenges faced by children who had lost their world due to forced relocations, leaving them without friends, familiar surroundings, and sometimes even parents. These challenges risked intensifying their psychological traumas associated with the war.  

Many non-governmental organizations are focusing on different forms of study and psychological support activities, with attention on setting up environments where kids can be themselves, meet new friends and integrate with the Romanian community. The Sports Integration Project is instead putting the emphasis on supporting them in finding what they really like by observing their emotional states and supporting them to become more stable, strong and self-assured. 

In Ukraine not many people, especially kids, are used to turning to psychologists for help. This project is a way to support kids emotionally. In a relaxed environment young people can not only take a break from thinking about negative news, but also feel better emotionally and make new friends and recover their balance again.  

At the beginning of the project, the focus was on startup principles; testing ideas and different sporting activities and expanding those that proved more popular. The favorite activities so far have been sport dance, hockey, jiu-jitsu, and swimming for children, along with general physical training and “beautiful posture” exercises suitable for both young people and adults. The discovery has also been made that competitions and events are good for setting targets and helping kids to become more dedicated.  

 Since the start of the project in 2023, over 800 individuals have taken part in over 1700 training sessions, ten competitions, two summer sport camps, dance shows and a Christmas event, bringing them closer together to each other. At the year-end, evaluating the outcomes and determining the project’s continuation involved seeking feedback from parents and conducting a survey. The results showed that 92% of parents felt that their kids are in better shape now; and 97% thought that their children have become more confident and emotionally stable. 96% mentioned that their kids had made friends with their Ukrainian peers during the training sessions and various events, and that 30% of the children managed to integrate and make friends with their Romanian peers during the workouts.  

 In this process, the emphasis is on the self-development of the child rather than the achievements he or she attains. Via a series of group meetings guided by a psychologist, parents have been provided with tools to support their children in a positive and nurturing manner. The focus has been on fostering motivation and respecting the individual boundaries of the child. 

All in all, the Sports Integration Project has not only promoted healthy physical activity among young people, but also served as a tool for addressing the psychological challenges that they face. It has both changed the children's lives and contributed to building a strong and emotionally stable community by helping the children integrate. This project is supported by nine Romanian and five Ukrainian coaches, as well as one social worker, two psychologists, a communication worker as well as the project manager and our Damen colleague Mykolay Latushkin, from Ukraine.  

We would like to thank Mykolay Latushkin for his tireless efforts and commitment.